Tis the day before Labor Day
by stacks.of.books
Summary: The last in the series, an epilogue if you will.


They were on their way to Princeton to check Cassidy in. Miranda was driving and between traffic, her muted rage towards the other drivers and Andy's white knuckled grip on the side door grab handle, it was the longest 2 hours of everyone's life. When they finally arrived mom kept driving them in circles. Somehow both mom and Cass had forgotten everything they covered on the freshman tour. Luckily for them all, Andy had downloaded all the information and once mom let Andy drive, things went a whole lot smoother.

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It took them another 5 hours to reach Brown but unlike her sister Caroline knew where she was going and where they needed to park.

"I just said I don't see why she doesn't have a single."

"Miranda," Andy smiled at Caroline's roommate awkwardly, "she wanted a roommate."

"Mom," Caroline could see that clearly mom was not going to leave, "can we go get dinner. We've missed meal time. Maybe there's a place in your hotel we could eat at?"

Miranda glared at the roommate once more before leaving. Caroline turned back around. "She's not bad, just over protective."

The girl looked a little frightened but shrugged anyways, "it's cool. Having two mom's must be overwhelming. My mom's a bit…"

"Caroline," Caroline heard Andy call out her name. Caroline turned to her roommate and mouthed sorry before running out. She'd explain about Andy later.

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After dropping off Caroline, Miranda and Andy returned to the hotel. Tomorrow was Labor Day. Thank God, Andy thought, they didn't have to drive back to the city tonight. It was only 9 but she was exhausted. Miranda had relaxed after dinner and a promise from Caroline that they would meet for breakfast the next day. Andy knew that Miranda was a little overwhelmed with both girls moving out at the same time. Personally, she thought, if Miranda could have made them, she would have enrolled them both in Columbia so they didn't need to move out of the city.

Andy crawled into bed and looked at Miranda. Things had changed so quickly over the last few weeks. They had spent all their spare time together. Not just her and Miranda but Andy and the girls too. She was going to miss them. All of a sudden Andy felt her eyes tearing up. Miranda turned from the mockup of Runway just as a few of the tears escaped Andréa's eyes.

"Darling," Miranda put aside the book. She gathered Andréa into her arms and waited for her to calm.

"I'm sorry, God how embarrassing."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"I just," Andy turned her head to meet Miranda's eyes, "realized how much I'm going to miss the girls."

"Yes, well as they have repeatedly reminded me, they are only a few hours away," Miranda said drily, having heard it numerous times from both Cassidy and Caroline, as she lamented their leaving.

Andréa leaned up and kissed Miranda. Miranda smiled into the kiss before reaching over and turning off the light. Work could wait.

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The next morning Caroline met them at their hotel for breakfast. Apparently, Caroline and her roommate got on like a house on fire. Andy couldn't have been happier for her. As they were dropping her off Andy heard her whisper to her mom, "just ask," before she kissed her cheek and hopped out of the car.

Andy shook her head, waved and pulled away from the university.

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It had been a quiet drive, Miranda worked the whole way.

"Stay," Miranda asked as Andréa turned the car off.

Andréa smiled and nodded before grabbing their bags. The house was quiet. No dog nails clicking on the wood floor, no music or television playing in any of the rooms. They both stopped in the foyer and listened to the sound of silence.

"It's odd," Miranda was the first to break the quiet, "for 18 years there has always been something going on here. Either Patricia or the girls, even when they weren't here, they were here." Miranda looked around, gone were shoes tossed by the door or book bags forgotten on the stairs. She hung her jacket, a dozen empty hangers waiting for coats.

Andy watched Miranda look around. "How about we go out?"

"We just got back?" Miranda said.

"Is there a rule saying we can't leave again?" Andréa asked with a smile.

Miranda smiled back. "What would you like to do darling?"

Andréa grinned, "I hear New York has a nice park?"

Miranda snorted; her eyes widened in shock and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Andréa started laughing. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

Miranda followed Andréa back out the door. "What am I ever going to do with you?" she asked with a smile.

Andréa flashed a sultry grin back, "I'll show you later."

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Which is how Miranda found herself having a God's honest picnic on the great lawn, while sitting on a gingham blanket, on a Sunday afternoon with Andréa. Andréa had managed to find a small book store along the way. They stopped and browsed for a bit and then a messenger had met them on the way. Andréa had used their time in the book store to arrange a picnic to be delivered to them. Armed with a couple of books, food and a winning smile, Miranda felt helpless to deny her.

As they laid there on the blanket, Andréa absorbed in the book she was reading and Miranda absorbed with watching Andréa, Miranda decided to follow her daughter's advice.

"Andréa," Miranda said, waiting for Andréa to look at her.

"Hmm?"

"The girls are gone and I, well," Miranda paused, "I want you to move in."

"I'm sorry?" Andréa sat up. "Did you just say you wanted me to move in because the girls are gone? Like now you have a spare room."

Miranda sat up and sighed. Never in her life has she felt so off kilter around another person.

Andréa put her hand on Miranda's arm. "I'm not going anywhere. I've waited a long time to be with you."

"I want to see you every night," Miranda said now that she reorganized her words. "In fact I want you to be the last face I see before I close my eyes and I want you to be the first person I see every morning. The girls are gone but both have said how they'd like to see you as part of our family."

"And the first step to being part of the family is moving in?" Andréa clarified.

"It is." Miranda nodded.

"I've already packed," Andréa said with a smile. "Cassidy tipped me off by accident a week ago." Andréa lay back down.

Miranda glared at her. "If you knew what I meant why did you act so offended?"

Andréa smirked as she turned a page in her book. "I love you but I don't work for you anymore. I don't have to guess what you mean when you say things."

Miranda contemplated that. "I wouldn't be so sure of that my dear. I'm sure to keep you guessing."

Andréa looked up at Miranda, "I'm looking forward to it."


End file.
